Trim panel and fastener



l Nov. 22, 1938. F, N 'RQSS 2,137,883

TRIM PANEL AND FASTENER Filed Aug. l5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l YMMM- ATTORNEY Nov. 22, '1938.

F. N. Ross 2,137,883

'mma PANELy AND FASTENER Filed Aug. 15, 195e 2 sheets-sheet Frederic/Tr /VENroR /Y. Fass.

By l Y Patented Nov. 2.2, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE .Tam PANEL AND FAs'rENEn 'Application August 15, 1936, Serial No. 96,185

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to trim panels or trim panel assemblies particularly adapted for use in the interior trim nish of automobiles or other vehicle bodies and especially to fastener devices for trim panels.

An object of the invention is to provide a trim panel for a vehicle body with improved fastener means for removably attaching the panel to the vehicle door or other portion of the body framl0- ing with ease' and facility.

A further object of the invention 1s to provide a new and improved interior trim panel, or

trim panel assembly, together with a new and improved fastener device for detachably secur ing the panel to the body so that by virtue of the invention there is provided a fastener device of nrelatively simple construction which may be manufactured at low cost and assembled on the panel with `a minimum of time and labor and 20. enabling the provision of a trim panel which may be easily applied to the door or other framing of the vehicle body.

Another object of the invention 1s w provide an improved fastener device for a` trim panel 25. which may be cheaply and easily manufactured from a. single piece or strip of metala'ndvwhich may be assembled on the trim panel after applying the trim material thereto without the necessity of using separate retainer or clip devices for 30' holding the fastener element in place.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several Views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly oruxen away, illustrating an automobile door having installed thereon a trim panel constructed in accordance 40. with/the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken through line 2-2 cf Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the fastener illus- 45. trated in Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged sections illustrating the method of assembling the fastener in the foundation sheet of the trim panel.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating this embodiment of the invention, and showing the fastener preparatory to its attachment to the trim panel.

Fig. 8is a central longitudinal section through the fastener and panel illustrating this embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 9 is avertical section taken through lines 9--9 of Fig. 8 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. `10 is a plan view of the fastener of this embodiment; and

Fig. 11 is a section illustrating the mode of assembly of the fastener to the panel.

Before explaining in -detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention 10 is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illus-A trated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. lliv Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it i s not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art. 2Q

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings, there is illustrated, by way of example, a door A for an automobile body having mounted thereon through the medium of fasteners B, a trim panel C, the fasteners in this instance being constructed in accordance with the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive. It will be understood that the trlm panel may be of different shapes and' sizes and may be mounted on the doors or at other locations on the inside of the vehicle body.

The trim fastener B of the embodiment of Figs.

2 to 5 inclusive comprises a one-piece device, formed from a single metallic strip, preferably spring steel, and has a ilat base or shank 20 35 terminating at its rear edge in an upstanding wall or abutment 2l forming the heel of the device. From the upper edge of the abutment 2| the metal of the strip is formed with a reverse goose-neck bend providing a spring bow 22, it being noted that this bow comprises a rearwardly extending horizontal portion 22a adapted, as later described, to overlie the foundation sheet of the trim panel.V The metal of the strip from which the fastener is made is extended forwardly and downwardly from the spring bow to provide an extension 23 bent at 24 to produce a curved gripping portion and an upwardly inclined or Haring lead end 25. The at base or shank 20 is formed near the forward end thereof with a reverse 5 goose-neck bend 26, the forward wall 26a of this goose-neck portion 4providing an upstanding abutment, the material of the base being extended forwardly from this abutment to provide i?. .relatively short flange or lip 21 lying in the plane of the body portion 20. The reverse bend or goose-neck portion 25 provides an expansible' and contractible spring and the resiliency thereof is preferably increased by cutting through the Same to provide a slot 38.

The trim fastener B is applied to and assembled With a trim panel which in the present instance comprises a foundation or backing sheet 2li of fiber board or other suitable material. The front face of the backing sheet is preferably covered by means of a padding material 2Q of compressed jute or other fibrous substance and this layer is in turn covered with a trim fabric fill which is folded around the edges of the foundation sheet as indicated at di and cemented at the rear face of the foundation sheet along the edges thereof. At suitable points along the side and bottom edges of the trim panel and inwardly of the cemented edges of the fabric material the foundation sheet 2li is provided therethrough with holes or slots 3l. which in the present instance are substantially rectangular in shape. These holes or apertures are of a predetermined area or shape so that when the fastener is installed that portion thereof extending from the abutment 26a to the abutment 2| will preferably illl and close the holes.

The fastener B may be readily assembled on the trim panel by first inserting the lip or flange extension 2l, which lies forwardly of the abutment 26a, into the aperture 32 so as to extend beneath and underlap the forward edge 32a, of the aperture, as illustrated in Fig. 4, with the abutment 26a engaging the forward edge 32a of the aperture. The rear end of the fastener may be forced into the aperture 32 either by hand or through the medium of a tool 33 provided with a handle 3d, the working end of the tool having a curved face conforming to and engageable with the curved spring bow portion 22, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. By exerting a forward thrust against the rear end of the fastener through the medium of the tool '33 the spring portion 26 may be compressed against the edge 32a of the foundation material suflciently to permit the heel 2l to clearv the rear edge llib of the aperture. The heel is thu's forced into the aperture and upon releasing the pressure applied to the fastener through the medium of the tool the expansion of the spring portion 2d will force the heel El into tight frictional engagement with the edge 32h. Thus, the abutments 26a and 2l will be held against the edges 32a and 32h respectively under the spring tension exerted by the goose-neck; portion 2E. Preferably, as illustrated in connection with this embodiment, the upstanding abutvment fl is inclined rearwardly from the top edge thereof to the bottom, the inclination thereof with respect to the vertical being illustrated as approximately 10. As a consequence of this construction the lower corner of the heel, due to the expansion effect of the spring 26, willl be slightly embedded in the material of the foundation sheet 28, the pressure of the abutment 2l resulting in slightly compressing the material of the edge 32h, as illustrated in Fig. 5, into substantially an undercut formation thereby increasing the frictional gripping effect of the edges of the aperture on the abutments El and 25a.

In the present instance the trim panel is assembled on the vehicle door A. [is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the door comprises an outer body panel 35 attached in the usual manner to the upright pillar E36 which at the rear side thereof has an inwardly directed vertically extending flange 3l. The framing of the door is such as to provide the flange .ll around the sides and bottom thereof. When assembled on the door structurethe trim panel is provided with fasteners B along the sides and bottom thereof. The panel may be readily installed by inserting the flared or lead ends 25 behind the flange El along one vertical side of the door and then forcing the panel laterally so as to force the gripping portions 2li of the fasteners over the back face of the flange, the gripping portions being forced or sprung out during this operation so as to grip the flange 3l and clamp the same between the gripping portion and the rear face of the backing sheet 28. The panel may then be bowed outwardly to a sufficient extent to permit the fasteners at the opposite vertical edge of the panel to engage behind the edge of the flange 3l at the opposite side of the door. By flattening out the panel these fasteners will be forced into gripping engagement with the flange. The panel may then be slid downwardly so as to cause the fasteners at the lower edge thereof to engage behind the bottom flange 37 of the door.

Referring to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive, it will be seen that the fastener E in this instance also comprises a one-piece device formed from a single metal strip and is adapted to be installed in an aperture or hole in the foundation sheet of the trim panel thereby providing a trim panel assembly which may be applied to the door A, or other frame portion of the vehicle body, in substantially the same manner as previously described. The fastener E in this instance preferably comprises a flat body, shank or base 'f having near its forward end an upstanding abutment or lug 'il preferably struck out from the material of the base lll. The latter has a lip or tongue l2 extending forwardly from the bottom of the abutment li. At the rear end of the base 'lil the metal of the strip is bent upwardly to provide an upstanding wall 'i3 which is reversely and forwardly bent to provide a spring bow, as illustrated, extending forwardly and downwardly to overlie the base 'f and provide a gripping member ld. Struck up from the metal of the gripping member lil, as shown by the opening or slot "M, is a member which is bent rearwardly from the upper edge of the wall l to provide a spring bow or goose-neck portion l5 the latter being extended vertically to provide a wall 'i6 terminating at its lower edge and in the plane of the base 10 in a rearwardly ex tending lip or flange Tl. The gripping member 'ill is bent near its forward end to produce a curved gripping portion lil and the material from this point is bent forwardly and upwardly to provide a flaring lead end EU. From this construction it will be seen that the fastener com-l prises a base 16, a forward upstanding abutment ll, a spring gripping member lil, a goose-neck portion 'ib forming an expansible and contractible spring member provided with an abutment wall 76,' all produced preferably from a single metal strip. In the illustrated embodiment the gripping member 'Fil is made somewhat wider than the base 'lll for the purpose of providing sufficient stock for forming therefrom the parts 'F5- i?.

The trim fastener E is preferably applied to and assembled with a trim panel which comprises a foundation or backing sheet 8| of 'ber board or other suitable material. The front face of `the backing sheet is preferably covered by a layer of' padding 82, as hereinbefore described, which in turn is covered with a fabric material- 83 folded around the edges of the backing sheet 34 and cemented thereto. At suitable points along the side and bottom edges of the trim panel the foundation sheet 8l is provided therethrough with holes or slots 85 which in the present instance are substantially rectangular in shape. The fastener may be readily assembled on the trim panel by means of pliers or other suitable tool 8B having a jaw 81 insertable through the slot 'I4 against the Wall 13 and the base lll, as shown in Fig. 11, and also having a jaw 88 adapted to engage the wall 'lli of the spring retainer member. The fastener may be assembled by rst inserting the tongue or extension 12 into the aperture 85 so as to extend beneath and underlapthe edge Sla. of the aperture with the abutment 'll bearing against this edge. By forcing the jaws of the tool together the wall 'I6 may be sprung sufficiently to permit the lip 'l1 to clear the edge Bibl and hence the heel of the fastener may be forced into the aperture 85. By releasing the tool the expansion effort of the spring l5 will force the lip 'Il beneath the edge SIb; as illustrated, and clamp the wall 'I6 and abutment 'Il against the opposite edges of the aperture.

. After the fasteners E have been installed on the rear face of the foundation .sheet along the side and bottom edges thereof the trim panel may be applied to the door A, or other portion of the body, in the same manner as previously described so as to cause the gripping members 43 of the fasteners to engage behind the anges 3T of the door or other body framing in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6.

I claim:

1. A trim fastener having a base comprising two sections extending end to end in substantially the same plane, an upstanding U-shaped spring abutment yieldingly connecting said sections together for relative endwise movement, an upstanding abutment formed from said base at a point on said base relatively remote from said spring abutment, and a spring gripping member extended from one of said abutments.

2. A trim fastener having a base comprising two sections extending end to end in substantially the same plane, an upstanding U-shaped spring abutment yieldingly connecting said sections together fcr relative endwise movement, a second abutment formed from said base, one of said abutments being located intermediate the ends of the base, and a spring gripping member extended from one of said abutments.

3. A trim fastener having a base comprising tWo sections extending end to end in substantially the same plane, an upstanding U-shaped spring abutment yieldingly connecting said sections together for relative endwise movement, an upstanding abutment formed from said base at a point on said base relatively remote from said spring abutment, and a spring gripping member extended from said upstanding abutment.

4. A trim fastener having a base comprising two sections extending end to end in substantially the same plane, an upstanding U-shaped spring abutment yieldingly connecting said sections together vfor relative endwise movement, a second abutment formed from said base, one of said abutments being located intermediate the ends of the base, and a spring gripping member extended from said second abutment.

5. A trim fastener having a base comprising two sections extending end to end in substantially the same plane, an upstanding U-shaped spring abutment vyieldingly connecting said sections together for relative endwise movement, a second abutment formed from said base, one of said abutments being located intermediate the ends of the base, and a spring gripping member extended from said U-shaped spring abutment.

6. A trim fastener having a base comprising two sections extending end to end in substantially the same plane, an upstanding U-shaped spring abutment yieldingly connecting said sections together for relative endwise movement, an upstanding abutment formed from said base ata point on said base relatively remote from said spring abutment, said spring abutment comprising relatively yieldable walls, and a spring gripping member extending integrally from one of said walls.

7. A trim fastener having a base comprising two sections extending end to end in substantially the same plane, an upstanding U-shaped spring abutment yieldingly connecting said sections together for relative endwise movement, an upstanding abutment formed from said base at a point on said base relatively remote from said spring abutment, said spring abutment comprising relatively yieldable walls, and a spring gripping member having two spaced tongues extending integrally from the opposite side edges of one of said walls.

FREDERICK N. RCSS. 

